South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem recommended 2.5 percent increases in funding for state employees, healthcare providers and education when she presented her budget proposal to the State Legislature yesterday (Wed.).
District 24 representative Mary Duvall says now that legislators know the governor’s priorities, it’s time to start working the numbers.
South Dakota Opportunity Scholarships provide up to $6,500 over four years to qualifying students who attend an eligible higher education institution in the state. Duvall, who homeschooled her children for a while, supports Noem’s proposal to make homeschoolers eligible for those scholarships based on the same criteria as non-homeschooled students.
Duvall hopes state employees won’t have to pay for part of their healthcare premiums, as proposed by former Gov. Dennis Daugaard last month.
Gov. Noem’s total budget proposal, which doesn’t include any new taxes, is $4.8-billion.
